Game apparatus.



No. 822,558. PATENTED JUNE 5, 1906.

A. L. SMITH. GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 28, 1902.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GAME APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

lratented June 5, 1906.

Application filed August 28.1902. Serial No. 121,289.

To 00% whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ABRAHAM LINCOLN SMITH, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing in the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in GameApparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to game apparatus, and more particularly to a classof such employing a receptacle and a plurality of missiles to be tossedat or into the same.

The object of my invention is to provide a game ap aratus which issuitable for use in a public p ace or in a parlor and which may beemployed in a number of distinct games, so as to afford variedentertainment.

A further object is to provide a game apparatus of this class whereinthe missiles will appear to be capable of being readily tossed into thereceptacle, while, in fact, being so constructed as to render itdifficult to toss them accurately.

A still further object is to provide a game apparatus which will besimple in construction, neat and attractive in appearance, and which maybe used without liability of in jury to the players or to the furnitureor other surrounding articles.

The invention consists, primarily, in a game apparatus comprising areceptacle having a backing of pliable material having an exposedopening therein, a frame for supporting and shaping same, and meanswhereby it may be suspended from a carrier, and also in such other novelfeatures of construction and arrangement of parts as are hereinafter setforth and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claimshereto appended.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my gameapparatus set up in a s ecial gallery. Fig. 2 is a front elevation ofthe main receptacle. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation thereof, and Figs.4 and 5 are respectively a front and a side elevation of one of themissiles.

All of the views as above are on a reduced scale, that of Figs. 4 and 5being on a larger scale than the other views.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

The game apparatus comprises a receptatacle a, preferably heart-shaped,which has in one side thereof a heart-shaped opening,

as b. This receptacle is of cloth or other pliable material and isshaped and held distended by means of a rigid frame in the upper portionthereof and stiffening-Wires (1 around the apex of the heart-shapedopening I). This frame comprises the top rods 0 and a back-brace c andis provided with a ring, as 0 integral therewith, by means of which itmay be suspended from a hook or carrier 6. The apex of the heart-shapedreceptacle a is provided with a flap a, so that the missiles may eitherbe confined therein when closed or permitted to escape according to theconnection in which the apparatus is used.

Arranged beneath the receptacle a is a table the sides ff of which areprovided with ways 9 g for a frame g, which carries a pliable receiver gupon which those hearts which do not enter the rece tacle fall. Beneaththe table and in vertica alinement with the open ing in the lower apexof the receptacle a, formed when the flap a is released, is a chute h,which is so constructed as to catch each missile Which leaves the heartand project it forward, so as to keep it separate from those which didnot so enter the receptacle and also render more convenient thecollection of these missiles to determine the success of the player.This chute forms a sort of basin h in the forward portion thereof, witha concaved incline leading from beneath the opening in the receptaclethereto.

The missiles themselves are preferably of the same configuration as themain receptacle. Thus when that receptacle is heartshaped each missilewill constitute a heart of dimensions considerably smaller than theopening therein. In Figs. 4 and 5 and designated by the letter 'L I haveshown a front and side elevation of one of these missiles. It comprisesa small sack filled with fluffy cotton-batting or other material of verylight weight and yet bulky. This missile is irregular in contour, so asto be subject to unequal atmospheric resistance when tossed. Byirregular I mean so constructed as to present faces of different areasaccording to the ositions assumed while in the air as contraistinguished from a sphere.

The object of each player is to toss a number of small missilessuccessively into the receptacle a, and the one successful in gettingthe greatest number in is the winner of the game. To add interest to thegame, a system of prizes or forfeits may be made a feature thereof, andcertain restrictions as to the he is required to the said basin,

order of throwing the missiles and the necessity for getting definitemissiles in the receptacle in succession may also be included in therules. By thus varying the effects of different plays and combinationsof plays a number of interesting games may be played with the oneapparatus.

The player must stand distant from six to ten feet from the receptacle(1 and is given a numb er of missilessay a round dozen. These toss intothe receptacle.

his appears to be a simple matter; but as thesemissiles '11 are verylight and bulky and also irregularly shaped many conditions in terferewith their progress, which makes it a somewhat difiicult task. Theatmospheric resistance tends to deflect them from a straight course,'theamount of such deflection varying with the area of surface exposedthereto. It is-difiicult, if not impossible, to speed them, owing totheir lack of weight, and their bulk prevents their being scaled. Thepeculiar action of the missile furnishes conslderable amusement to theother players. These difliculties may only be surmounted by acquiredskill in the game, and even then a variance in the air-currents or thedistance from which they are tossed render a certain degree ofuncertaintyeven when skilled in the play.

For indoor purposes, if desired, the flap a may be kept closed, and themissiles 71 thus temporarily retained in the receptacle a. Ordinarily,however, this flap will be left open, so that each missile as it enterswill drop therethrough upon the incline 7L and thence to the basin itnear the forward end of the table which carries it. Such missiles asstrike about the receptacle (1 or the opening I) therein will drop uponthe receiver 9 where they will rest.

The main receptacle (1 being made of pliable material there will be adead impact when it is struck with a missile, so that the latter willnot rebound to any extent. The missiles themselves being soft, however,little danger of such rebound exists, even if less pliable materials areused.

To determine the success of the player, the receiver g by meansof theframe g and ways 9 g with the missed missiles is first shoved back, thusexposing the basin h with those missiles which entered the receptacle atherein. These having been removed, which is readily done, owing to'thearrangement of the receiver g is drawn forward to its former positionand the remaining missiles collected therefrom. This leaves clear thespace between the opening in the receptacle and the chute h and preparesthe apparatus for the next player.

It will be observed that the heretofore-described apparatus is simple inconstruction and inexpensive to manufacture, while capable of affordingmuchentertainment to the player. The missiles i being soft and also ightin weight, it is impossible to toss them with sufficient force to injureanything, even to light bric-a-brac.

If desired, the diflerentmissiles in a set may vary'in contour.

While I have shown and described the invention as embodying certaindetails of construction as to the configuration of the main receptacleand various elements, it is to be understood that these need not bestrictly adhered to, although I have found such attractive andsuccessful in actual use.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire tohaveprotected'by Letters Patent, is

1. In a game apparatus, the combination of a receptacle having a backingof pliable material and having an o ening therein, a frame forsupporting and s aping same, and means whereby it may be suspended'froma carrier.

2. In a game apparatus, the combination of a rece tacle having a backingof pliable material l faving an opening therein and-a flap in the lowerpart thereof whereby missiles may be retained therein or permittedto-pass therefrom, a frame for supporting and shaping same, and meanswhereby it may be suspended from a carrier.

3. In a game apparatus, thecombination of a receptacle having a backingof pliable material having an opening on one side thereof and an openingin the bottom thereof, a chute disposed beneath said last-mentionedopening, and a basin connected therewith.

4. In a game apparatus, the combination of a receptacle having a backingof pliable material having an opening on one side thereof and an openingin the bottom thereof, a chute disposed beneath said last-mentionedopening, a basin connected therewith, and-a receiving-table above saidchute and in front of said receptacle.

5. In a game apparatus, .thecombination of a receptaclehaving an openingon one side thereof and an opening in the bottom thereof, a chutedisposed beneath said last-mentioned opening, a basin connectedtherewith, a receiver mounted on ways above said chute whereby it may bemoved so as to 'be-either beneath or in front of said last-mentionedopening.

In witness whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature, this 27th-dayof August, 1902, in the presence of two witnesses.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN SMITH.

l/Vitnesses:

WILLIAM Z. GOLD, F. T. WENTWORTH.

